Attendance and Punctuality
Attendance expectations
At Rokeby, we expect all students to attend school every day and be on time. Consistent attendance is essential for students to achieve their full potential. If your son is unwell or unable to attend school for any reason, please follow the guidelines below.
Reporting absence
If your son is absent from school:
- Phone the school on the first day of absence, and on every subsequent day, to inform us why he cannot attend.
- Provide a note in your son’s planner clearly stating the dates and reason for the absence. This note must be written, dated, and signed by a parent/carer.
- Where possible, provide medical evidence, such as a doctor’s note, prescription, or appointment card, to support the absence.
Arranging appointments during school hours
We encourage all parents/carers to arrange medical or dental appointments outside of school hours. When this is unavoidable:
- Ensure that your son is out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary.
- Provide the school with a note detailing the appointment, along with any appointment card or other evidence prior to the appointment. Failure to provide such information may result in the absence being marked as unauthorised.
Applications for leave of absence in term time
This school’s policy is not to authorise holidays during term time. Any application for leave during term time must be made in writing to the Head of School. There is no automatic right to term time leave of absence, and your request is likely to be declined except in the most exceptional of circumstances. Each application will be considered on its own merit, and the attendance record of the child or children will be taken into account when making the decision.
Punctuality
Poor punctuality is not acceptable at Rokeby. Students who miss the start of the day also miss their registration with their tutor and may miss vital announcements or opportunities for support.
Our school day starts at 8.30 am, and we expect students to be in school before this time. Arriving on time:
- Sets a good example and creates a positive impression.
- Contributes to personal, social, and academic development.
- Is important for achieving success in exams and assessments.
Persistent lateness will not be tolerated and will be monitored closely.
Support for arriving at school on time
We place a strong emphasis on our students being punctual. This is supported by the following:
- Giving sanctions to students who arrive late to school or lessons;
- Informing parents if their child arrives late for school;
- Awarding achievements points to tutor groups where all students have arrived punctually over a period of time;
- Sending attendance records home to parents each term, so that parents can monitor any lateness; and
- Addressing issues of poor time keeping with individual students and their parents.
Parent/Carer support to ensure punctual arrival at school
We ask parents to support us in maintaining good punctuality by:
- Ensuring that their children get up in plenty of time to be ready and prepared for school.
- Ensuring their child has organised their bag and equipment the night before so that this does not delay departure in the morning.
- Discussing any issues of lateness to ensure this does not become a habit.
- Monitoring their child’s attendance record when it is sent home and looking for patterns of lateness.
Consequences of lateness
Students who are late who will receive a ‘late’ detention after school for 30 minutes. Parents are notified via Class Charts. Punctuality is monitored regularly, and persistent lateness may lead to further consequences.
Please note that completion of the request form does not guarantee approval for the term time absence. You will be notified by the school if your request has been approved. As a school we are asked to inform you that, in line with the London Borough of Newham’s Policy, unauthorised absences may be subject to a penalty notice fine of £60 payable per parent, per child, increasing to £120 each, if it is not paid within 21 days. If this fine is not paid within 28 days this may lead to court proceedings.
Contact information
For all attendance-related queries, including reporting absences and discussing punctuality, please contact Ms Bela Patel, Attendance and Cover Officer via [email protected].
Thank you for your support in ensuring that your son attends school regularly and arrives on time, ready to learn.